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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has now been in the world
for 200 years, and about four months. So I thought I’d finally get to
it. But I didn’t read it to prove Meg Wolitzer wrong, or to fall in love with Elizabeth, or even to be able to name my next fantasy football team “Bingley’s Balls.”

I read it because I finally talked myself into the idea (maybe call
it the “Downtown Abbey Effect”) that I could be interested in this
story, as British and soapy as it may be. And I’m here to tell you (even
without stupid zombies), if you’re a dude, and you’ve rejected this
novel out of hand (despite its canonical status) because it’s “only for
women,” you’re wrong. It IS a good story, and despite your own pride and
prejudices about this novel (did you see what I did there?), there’s
plenty of fun to be had. Check it:

5. It Is GENUINELYFunny—You
often hear that Jane Austen’s wit is one of the hallmarks of the novel,
and it’s true. Elizabeth is whip smart, and has no qualms about taking
her intellect out on her inferiors. At one point, she chides her sister
Jane, who she thinks is too happy and too willing to only see the good
in folks, about her crush on Bingley: “Well, he certainly is very
agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a
stupider person.”

Next, when Elizabeth’s “cousin,” Mr. Collins — who is a total tool, but
as such, a cringe-inducing comedic scene-stealer — proposes to
Elizabeth, you can almost see her giggling to herself, as she rejects
him. But he vastly misreads the situation, thinking she’s just playing
hard to get. “…and that sometimes refusal is repeated a second or even
third time. I am, therefore, by no means discouraged by what you have
just said, and shall hope to lead you to the alter ere long.” By now,
we’re all laughing along with Elizabeth, and she exclaims: “Upon my
word, sir. Your hope is rather an extraordinary one after my
declaration.” (Translation: “Seriously, dude!? What the f#$% is wrong
with you? NO!”)

4. Two Words: Mr. Bennet —
Elizabeth’s father is, by far, my favorite character in the novel. The
man — surrounded by his five daughters and his annoying wife — is a
saint. So, to stay sane, he’s always cracking jokes. For instance, early
in the novel Mrs. Bennet comes back from a ball and begins describing
to her husband all the ladies the new “it” guy Bingley danced with.
Bennet breaks off this: “If he had had any compassion for me, he would
have danced half so much! For God’s sake, say no more of his partners.
Oh that he had sprained his ankle in the first dance!” C’mon, that’s
hilarious! It’s the 19th century equivalent of that commercial where
the guy has to listen his lady for five seconds, and gets a Klondike
bar as a reward. (Yes, I know it’s sexist, but it’s also funny.)

3. Elizabeth’s Introspection/Change —
If you’re like me, watching a character examine his/her conscience and,
as a result, change over the course of a novel is infinitely
fascinating — and Elizabeth is a fascinating character. Once she
realizes her opinion of Darcy is not only wrong, but also that it had
been based on faulty premises and rumors, she is able to overcome her
own pride and embrace the possibility of her feelings for him. As she
reflects on Darcy’s proposal, she thinks, “But vanity, not love, has
been my folly….Till this moment, I never knew myself.” Would that we
could all have such moments of clarity and catharsis!

2. Real Drama and Intrigue — You hear “novel of manners,” a subgenre in which Pride and Prejudice
is often pigeonholed, you may want to run the other way. But, listen,
there is real drama and page-turning intrigue here. I’m not kidding. For
examples: Darcy and Elizabeth’s conversation when he first proposes
(“In vain have I struggled, etc.”), Elizabeth’s showdown with Darcy’s
aunt who doesn’t think her worthy of her nephew, and the drama around
Elizabeth’s sister Lydia’s who runs off with one of Darcy’s mortal
enemies. (And, earlier, we’d learned that this same guy had nearly
succeeding in seducing Darcy’s sister, as payback for a perceived
slight. Damn, that’s cold!)

1. Add To Your Quotes Bank — This
novel is chock full of wisdom — and you can memorize these quotes and
impress your friends at parties. For instance, Elizabeth’s sister Mary
breaks off this gem: “Pride relates more to our opinions of ourselves,
vanity to what we have others think of us.” Yes!

Or Darcy busts out this one: “Nothing is more deceitful than the
appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and
sometimes an indirect boast.” The origins of the humblebrag, yes?

And finally, during one of Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s first
conversations, she tells him, “It is particularly incumbent on those who
never change their opinion, to be secure of judging properly at first.”
Of course, she’s being tongue-in-cheek — but it’s a brilliant sentiment
and a knock on anyone (which seems to be a lot of people these days)
who is unwilling to change an established opinion, despite new
information.

Glad to see you embrace Jane Austen,Greg! Mr. Bennet is my favorite as well and for your next Austen read, I would recommend Emma. I think you'll enjoy the lively debates between Mr. Knightley and Emma,plus the humorous contributions of Mr and Mrs. Elton,Harriet Smith and Miss Bates:)

Albert Einstein read it once a year. As you point out in #3, it has a feature of many inspiring books and films: a person with a serious flaw (pride, prejudice) who through great difficulties, learns and changes.

Einstein said that beneath all of humanity's dreams, desires, and actions is a hope for greater happiness and freedom from sorrow. The teachings of the Vedas say exactly the same thing. And the formula they give for finding happiness unfailingly is actions, thoughts, and feelings that expand awareness through the five instruments of human growth: body, heart, will, mind soul.

Do the right thing, and you reap health, loves, strength, wisdom, and joy. Act contractively and you get sickness, weakness, ignorance, and sorrow. It's an excellent basis for literary criticism. Authors who feed our contractive tendencies are traitors to the human race. (Cormac McCarthy and his brethren.)

A friend of mine – also a journalist – really liked this movie. But he hadn't seen the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle version from 1995. So perhaps I'm a little hard on what was presented to me last week, because the film does have its qualities.